The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, has taken a stand in the battle between Nigerian governors and labor unions over the N30,000 minimum wage.

Oshiomhole said the governors have no excuse to deny the workers the agreed minimum wage, adding that a laborer deserves to be paid as at when due.

Oshiomhole, who was the President of the Nigerian Labour Congress, NLC, told New Telegraph that delaying or refusing to pay workers hinders the economic development of any state.

The Nigerian Governors Forum, comprising the 36 states governors and the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, had after their meeting in Abuja last week, said they cannot pay the agreed N30000 minimum wage.

Oshiomhole said, “My views are clear that payment of wages is not an act of kindness for an employer to pay the employees’ wages at the end of the month.

“There are provisions in our Labour Act that says that you cannot delay the payment of salaries in excess of 30 days interval, which means salaries ought not to accumulate beyond 30 days.

“Government decides the size of its employment, but when it makes the decision to employ, it has the obligation to pay. Even the Holy Bible says that the labourer is entitled to his wages.

“I think again, this is where President Buhari stands out clearly. He has publicly asked public sector employers; how do you sleep when you have not paid your employees for one year.

“But he did not stop at lamenting, he went on to provide the much talked about bailout fund and said ‘please use this money to pay your workers and pay pension arrears.’

“And even the deductions from states that were done under the PDP in the name of settling our foreign debts, under President Buhari, despite the huge financial challenges that he faces, he decided to assist the states to meet up with their social obligations by paying what is now referred to as Paris Club refund.